Session Threat Intelligence
Session Threat Intelligence collects, analyzes, and disseminates information about potential and active threats targeting user sessions. It's focused on understanding how attackers attempt to compromise sessions and providing actionable insights to defend against those attacks.
Here's a breakdown of its key aspects:
Threat Identification: This involves identifying the various threats that can compromise user sessions, including:
Session hijacking: Attackers gaining control of a valid user session.
Session fixation: Forcing a user to use a predetermined session ID.
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Using malicious scripts to steal session cookies.
Credential theft: User credentials obtained through phishing or other means can then be used to establish and hijack sessions.
Man-in-the-middle attacks: Intercepting communication between a user and a server to steal session data.
Attacker Tactics and Techniques: A crucial part of session threat intelligence is understanding how attackers operate:
Attack vectors: How attackers attempt to gain access to session data (e.g., network sniffing, exploiting web application vulnerabilities).
Tools and malware: Attackers use software and tools to carry out session-based attacks.
Attack patterns: Common sequences of actions that attackers follow when targeting sessions.
Vulnerability Intelligence: This involves gathering information about weaknesses in systems and applications that can be exploited to compromise sessions:
Software vulnerabilities: Flaws in web servers, web applications, or libraries that can be used to steal session data.
Configuration weaknesses: Misconfigurations in session management settings that make sessions more vulnerable.
Threat Actor Information: Intelligence about the individuals or groups carrying out session-based attacks:
Attacker motivations: Understanding why attackers target sessions (e.g., for financial gain, data theft).
Attacker capabilities: Assessing the skills and resources of attackers.
Actionable Insights: The ultimate goal of session threat intelligence is to provide information that can be used to improve session security:
Detection rules: Information to help security systems detect session-based attacks.
Mitigation strategies: Guidance on how to prevent or respond to session-based attacks.
Vulnerability patching: Prioritizing the patching of vulnerabilities that pose the most significant risk to sessions.
Session Threat Intelligence empowers organizations to proactively defend against session-based attacks by providing a deep understanding of the threat landscape.
Here’s how ThreatNG can help with Session Threat Intelligence:
ThreatNG's external discovery is the foundation for gathering Session Threat Intelligence. Identifying all external-facing assets (web applications, APIs, etc.) defines where session mechanisms exist and where attacks might occur.
For example, ThreatNG's discovery of all subdomains is crucial for identifying potential attack vectors, as attackers may target specific subdomains to compromise sessions.
ThreatNG's external assessment capabilities provide valuable Session Threat Intelligence by highlighting potential weaknesses:
The Web Application Hijack Susceptibility rating offers intelligence on applications with vulnerabilities that attackers could use to hijack sessions.
The Subdomain Takeover Susceptibility rating provides intelligence on subdomains that attackers could compromise to steal session credentials.
The Cyber Risk Exposure assessment gives intelligence on external vulnerabilities (e.g., exposed ports) that attackers could exploit in session-based attacks.
ThreatNG's reporting disseminates Session Threat Intelligence to security teams:
Technical reports provide detailed findings on potential session vulnerabilities and attack vectors.
Security ratings can track improvements in session security posture based on threat intelligence.
ThreatNG's continuous monitoring of the external attack surface provides ongoing Session Threat Intelligence. It alerts organizations to new or changing external risks that could affect session security.
ThreatNG's investigation modules provide in-depth Session Threat Intelligence:
Domain Intelligence allows security teams to analyze the organization's web infrastructure and understand potential session attack vectors. For example, DNS Intelligence can reveal suspicious domain name permutations used in phishing attacks to steal session credentials.
The Sensitive Code Exposure module provides intelligence on leaked credentials or API keys that attackers could use to bypass session controls.
The Search Engine Exploitation module provides intelligence on information leakage that could aid attackers in planning session attacks.
ThreatNG's intelligence repositories are valuable sources of Session Threat Intelligence:
The Dark Web Presence repository provides intelligence on compromised credentials that attackers could use in session-based attacks.
The repository of Known Vulnerabilities provides intelligence on vulnerabilities that attackers commonly exploit to compromise sessions.
Working with Complementary Solutions:
ThreatNG's Session Threat Intelligence enhances other security tools:
ThreatNG's identification of vulnerable web applications can inform the rules and configurations of WAFs and IDS to detect better and prevent session hijacking.
ThreatNG's intelligence on compromised credentials can be integrated with SIEM systems to detect suspicious login activity.
Examples of ThreatNG Helping:
ThreatNG identifies a vulnerable third-party library that attackers could use to steal session data, providing actionable threat intelligence.
ThreatNG discovers a phishing campaign targeting the organization's users, providing intelligence to block the campaign.
Examples of ThreatNG Working with Complementary Solutions:
ThreatNG's threat intelligence on malicious IP addresses can be used to block those addresses at the firewall, preventing session hijacking attempts.
ThreatNG's data on compromised credentials can be integrated with a UEBA system to detect anomalous login behavior indicative of account takeover.
ThreatNG provides a wealth of external information and analysis that serves as valuable Session Threat Intelligence, enabling organizations to defend against session-based attacks proactively.
